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Last Updated: Monday, 20 December, 2004, 14:00 GMT
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Q&A: Iraqi elections
Voter contemplates poster explaining Iraqi election
The campaign for elections in Iraq on 30 January 2005 formally began
on 15 December.
How will this election work?
Iraqis will be voting for a 275 member Transitional National
Assembly. The election will treat the whole country as one
constituency. Political parties will submit lists of candidates and
every third name has to be a woman's. Candidates have to be aged at
least 30. Parties or groups with militias cannot run for election. Nor
can former senior Baathists or current members of the armed forces.
The seats will be allocated by exact proportional representation which
means that each party or grouping will get the same proportion of
seats in the Assembly as it gets for its list in the popular vote.
What powers will the Assembly have?
The Assembly will choose the government and will be able to make
laws. It will first elect from its members a president and two
deputies. They in turn will choose a prime minister, who also has to
be in the Assembly. The prime minister will hold the real power, over
the armed forces for example.
Its other main role is to draw up a draft constitution by 15 August
2005 and submit this to referendum by 15 October 2005.
When will there be a fully constitutional government?
If the constitution is approved, elections will be held by 15 December
2005 and a fully constitutional government will take power by 31
December 2005. If the constitution is rejected there will be new
Assembly elections by 15 December 2005 and a further year is then
allowed for the whole process.
There is also provision for a delay of six months if not enough
progress is made on the constitution by 1 August 2005.
What about security?"
This is a major problem. The US army is increasing its strength from
135,000 to 150,000 but much of the protection work at voting places
will be carried out by the Iraqi security forces whose ability is
doubtful.
Large parts of the country are highly insecure and voters have not
been even able to register there.
All this will have an impact on whether the election will regarded as
valid.
How many candidates are there?
About 100 parties have registered for the election. They will each
produce a list of candidates and the people at the top of the list
have the best chance of being elected. There are about 8000
candidates.
Will Iraqis living abroad be allowed to vote?
Yes. The International Office of Migration is setting up voting places
in 14 countries with a substantial expatriate Iraqi
population. Someone wanting to vote has to prove Iraqi citizenship and
be born before 31 December 1986. They will also have to vote in person
from 28 to 30 January. An estimated one million people could vote in
this way.
Who is likely to win?
The Shias form the majority of the Iraqi population with about 65% so
their parties are likely to be dominant. The main Shia groups have
drawn up a list called the United Iraqi Alliance which brings in some
outside parties as well.
Some of the Sunni parties are threatening a boycott.
What about the foreign troops?
According to UN Security Council Resolution 1546, the mandate of the
foreign troops in Iraq will cease when the new fully constitutional
government takes office, though the troops could then be asked to stay
by the new authorities.
There will also be a review in June 2005 and at any stage the troops
could be asked to leave anyway.
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